Arrangement for the determination by measurement of a projection of the radiation absorption capacity of a periodically-variable measured object

ABSTRACT

The aim of the invention is an arrangement for the recording of projections, representing the instantaneous condition of a series of instantaneous conditions for the periodically changing distribution of the absorption behaviour, even for objects whose shapes or composition undergo rapidly repeating changes and from which the distribution itself may be reconstructed and which perform the above with a gamma source which continuously emits radiation. The invention is essentially characterised in that the detectors ( 7 ) are connected to several signal integrators ( 9 ) per detector ( 7 ), by means of a signal switch ( 8 ), collected in a first bank ( 10 ) and further banks ( 11 ), the signal switch ( 8 ) only connects the detectors ( 7 ) with the signal integrators ( 9 ) of one of the banks ( 10 ) or ( 11 ) at a time, the signal switch ( 8 ) only connects the detectors ( 7 ) with the signal integrators ( 9 ) of one of the banks ( 10 ) or ( 11 ) at a time, the signal switch ( 8 ) is connected to a controller ( 12 ) the input of which is connected to a clock ( 13 ) of the further switching goof the signal switch ( 8 ) and the inputs thereof, for resetting the signal switch ( 8 ) on the signal integrators ( 9 ) of the first bank ( 10 ), are connected to a synchronous signal generator ( 14 ).

[0001] The invention relates to an arrangement for recording by measurement a projection of the radiation absorption capability of a periodically variable object. The method is applicable particularly as a tomographic arrangement for producing sectional images of objects, the shape or composition of which is subjected to rapid changes, and moreover in the case, in which the changes are repeated periodically. Local differences in the attenuation behavior for ionizing radiation within the object are utilized for the imaging.

[0002] Tomography with ionizing radiation, generally X-ray or gamma radiation, is a method widely used in medicine and technology. For this purpose, the object is irradiated with quanta, which emanate from a practically point-shaped source of radiation. The intensity of the radiation, which has passed through the object, is measured on the side opposite to the source with the help of a detector arrangement. The signal of a single detector provides a measure of the attenuation of the radiation by the object, which arises from the integral of the distribution of the absorption behavior along a line connecting the source and the respective detector. The signals of all detectors of the arrangement represent a projection of the distribution of the attenuation capability of the object in the spreading direction of the radiation. By changing the position of the source and the detector arrangement, a number of independent projections of the distribution are obtained from different viewing directions. From these projections, the distribution of the attenuation behavior in the object, which leads to conclusions concerning the structure and composition in the interior of the object, can be reconstructed with the help of numerical reconstruction methods.

[0003] Typical tomography arrangements use an X-ray tube with the smallest possible focal spot or an approximately point-shaped gamma source for generating a fan-shaped beam, which passes through the object in a fixed plane. On the opposite side, there is an arc of a number of radiation detectors, which are disposed next to one another in this plane. The detectors in this case provide a one-dimensional projection of the two-dimensional distribution of the attenuation capability of the object in the sectional plane, the so-called image plane, which is formed by the fan-shaped beam. In most cases, including also medical applications, the arrangement of source and detector arc is disposed rotatably about the object in the image plane, in order to obtained projections from as many different directions as possible. From this, the two-dimensional distribution of the attenuation capability in the image plane is determined by using tomographic image reconstruction methods.

[0004] For stationary tomography arrangements, it is also state of the art to dispose the object rotatably. This method is used to investigate technical objects. The determination of the distribution of liquid in a trickling filter with such an arrangement is described in D. Schmitz, N. Reinecke, G. Petrisch, and D. Mewes—X-ray Computed Tomography for Stationary Multiphase Flow in Random and Structured Packings, Proc. Frontiers in Industrial Process Tomography, Dec. 4 to 9, 1997, proc. pages 303-308.

[0005] Tomography arrangements are also known, for which a conical beam is used, which, after it has penetrated through the object, is detected by a two-dimensional array of detectors (I. Tiseanu, M. Simon: High Resolution Cone-Beam Tomography for Two-Phase Flow Diagnostics, 2^(nd) International Symposium on Two-Phase Flow Modeling and Experimentation, Pisa, Italy, May 23-26, 1999, Proceedings pp, 1485-1492). In this case, a two-dimensional projection of the three-dimensional absorption distribution in the object is determined in one step. The projections, which are obtained by rotating the arrangement about the object, can be used in this case to reconstruct a spatial image of the object.

[0006] Because of the quantum character of the radiation, the accuracy of the measurement depends on the number of quanta recorded at the respective detector. The standard deviation of the intensity measurement is directly proportional to the square root of the number of the quanta recorded, the number of quanta increasing linearly with the time of measurement. Typically, a measurement time of the order of a few seconds to a few minutes per projection is required for producing projections with a measurement accuracy necessary for a subsequent reconstruction of an image. The measurement time can be reduced only by using more intensive sources, which leads to radiation-protection problems in the case of gamma tomography. However, gamma tomography is of importance particularly where larger objects, which are more difficult to penetrate, such as metallic components, are to be irradiated, since higher radiation energies and, with that, a better penetration, can be achieved more easily and less expensively with gamma sources than with X-ray sources.

[0007] For the reasons mentioned, the gamma or X-ray tomographic observation of processes in industrial targets, which take place rapidly and generally are difficult to penetrate by radiation, is not possible. Only if X-ray radiation is used, are tomography arrangements known, which permit a chronologically high-resolution observation to be made, in that the high radiation intensity of the X-ray source, in combination with the electronic controllability of the electron beam, which is employed to produce continuous X-ray radiation, is used to obtain the required amount of projections in the shortest time. Such a tomograph is described by D. P. Boyd, J. L. Couch, S. A. Napel, K. R. Peschmann, and R. E. Rand in Ultra Cine CT for Cardiac Imaging: Where Have We Been? What lies ahead? American Journal of Cardiac Imaging, 1 (1987) 2, pp. 175-185). For this arrangement, developed in cardiology for investigating rapid processes, the electron beam is passed with the help of deflection coils over an angle of 210° onto a tungsten target ring around the patient and thus produces a rotating fan of X-ray radiation, the intensity of which, after passing through the patient is recorded by a stationary ring of 864 scintillator/photodiode channels. The equipment is operated with an accelerating voltage of 130 kV and makes amperages up to 640 mA possible. With the tomograph, produced according to this concept by the IMATRON Company, scanning times of 50 ms for an image plus an 8 ms interval between two scans can be achieved. With that, it is the fasted commercial equipment by far.

[0008] Even higher time resolutions are achieved by arrangements, for which the rotation of the projection direction is achieved by the sequential triggering of a number of X-ray tubes, which are disposed around the object. Such an arrangement with 18 pulsable X-ray tubes was described by M. Misawa, N. Ichikawa, M. Akai, K. Hori, K. Tamura, and G. Matsui in Ultra Fast X-ray CT Systems for Measurement of Dynamic Events in Two-Phase Flow, Advances in Thermal Hydraulics (Proc. ICONES), 1998. With this equipment, the gas content distribution in a two-phase current of water and air can be determined in a vertical pipeline with an approximately 50 mm diameter with a time resolution of 4 ms, so that individual gas bubbles become visible. All 18 X-ray tubes are triggered briefly, one after the other, within this time span. For this purpose, the tubes have a control electrode, which is located between the cathode and the anode. A further such tomograph is described by K. Hori, T. Fujimoto, K. Kawanishi and H. Nishikawa in Advanced High Speed X-ray CT Scanner for Measurement and Visualization of Multi-Phase Flow, OECD/CSNI Specialist Meeting, Santa Barbara, Calif., 1997. For this equipment, 66 X-ray sources are used. The measurement time for determining a distribution is 0.5 ms here. For both arrangements, the energy of the radiation is below 150 keV. This excludes use with larger objects of more highly absorbing materials, such as metallic materials.

[0009] However, the use of gamma sources with correspondingly higher radiation energy, which are therefore most suitable for objects that absorb more strongly, does not permit the source to be controlled in the desired manner. For gamma tomographs, the only possibility for changing the projection direction is the mechanical rotation of the arrangement of source and detector or the encircling of the object by the source using a stationary ring of detectors. It is not possible to pulse the source or to affect them with electric or magnetic fields so as to obtain projections from different viewing directions or to deflect the beam. However, with scanning times of a few seconds, mechanical systems have their limits. A known tomograph for two-phase currents, the time resolution of which reaches the second range, works with a gamma source, which circles the object in 2 seconds, while a ring of detectors is stationary (A. C. De Vuono, P. A. Schlosser, F. A. Kulacki and P. Munshi—Design of an Isotopic CT Scanner for Two-phase Flow Measurements—IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, vol. NS-27, No. 1, February 1980). The alternative variation of using several stationary sources (T. Froystein—Flow Imaging by Gamma-ray Tomography: Data Processing and Reconstruction Techniques, Systems—Proc. Frontiers in Industrial Process Tomography II, Apr. 8-12, 1997, Delft (Netherlands), 185-187) has the disadvantage that only a small number of projections can be obtained, since otherwise the individual fan-shaped beams would overlap. With that, the quality of the achievable image reconstruction is slight and the spatial resolution is unsatisfactory.

[0010] It is an object of the invention to propose an arrangement, which permits, even in the case of objects, the configuration or composition of which is subject to rapid, periodically repeating changes, the determination of projections, which represent an instantaneous condition or a sequence of instantaneous conditions of the periodically changing distribution of the adsorption behavior and from which the distributions themselves can be reconstructed, the arrangement managing this with a gamma source, which emits continuous radiation.

[0011] Pursuant to the invention, this objective is accomplished with the distinguishing features presented in the claims. In this connection, it is essential that the detectors of the detector arrangement of the tomograph are connected over a signal distributor with several banks of signal integrators. Precisely one signal integrator is assigned to each detector in each bank. The signal distributor passes the signals of the detectors always only to the signal integrators of one of the banks, commencing with the bank with number 1. After a specified, constant time interval tB, which is also referred to as the bank time, has elapsed, all detectors signals have been passed on to the next bank of signal integrators by a control unit, with which the signal distributor is connected. For the arrangement to function, a synchronous signal must be available, which appears after the complete period t_(p) of the chronological change of the object has elapsed. This synchronous signal is connected with the control unit and, at the conclusion of the period of the changes of the object, causes this control unit to switch back to the first bank of signal integrators and to commence the signal distribution process once again from there. For the measurement, the tomography arrangement of source and detectors is brought into the position, which corresponds to the projection that is to be determined. The signal integrators are reset in order to commence the subsequent integration at zero. After a previously fixed number of N periods of the object, the measuring process is interrupted. The measurement information, present thereafter in each individual bank of signal integrators, represents the result of determining a projection in the measurement plane, which is specified by the set alignment of sources and the arrangement of detectors and in the direction, which is moreover assigned precisely to a time interval of duration t_(B), which arises from the number of the bank and represents a section of the period t_(p). In the bank with the number i, there is a projection, which is to be assigned to the time interval (i−1)t_(B)<t<it_(B). The effective measuring time t_(M), which determines the statistical error, of the values measured, arises from the number of periods P recorded and the time interval from t_(B) to t_(M)=Nt_(B). With that, the statistical certainty of the values measured can always be improved by increasing the number of the periods of the object, over which the integration is carried out.

[0012] Furthermore, for carrying out the tomographic measurement, the generally known method is employed, that is, the arrangement of source and detectors is rotated stepwise and the measuring process is repeated for each projection direction with the arrangement described. When subsequently a tomographic image reconstruction is carried out with all projections, which originate from one and the same time interval i, the desired distribution in the measurement plane for the time interval i is obtained. After the reconstruction for all available time intervals is carried out, the individual results can be assembled into a sequence, which reproduces the periodically changing sectional image of the object. The number of time intervals, available for constructing the sequence, is given by the ratio t_(p)/t_(B).

[0013] In the following, the invention is explained in greater detail by means of two examples. In the associated drawings,

[0014]FIG. 1 shows the inventive arrangement in its basic construction and

[0015]FIG. 2 shows the arrangement of FIG. 1, supplemented by a computer for detecting the signals.

[0016] Both examples are concerned with an arrangement for the tomographic determination of the density distribution in the impeller of an axial pump, which is in the operating state and is pumping a mixture of a gas and a liquid. The interaction between the liquid-gas mixture and the impeller results in a characteristic distribution of the gas phase, which is reflected in a corresponding distribution of the density of the mixture. The adsorption capability of the mixture for a gamma radiation is proportional to the local density of the mixture. Because of the rotation of the pump impeller, the density distribution is subjected to periodic changes and the period t_(p) coincides with the duration of one rotation of the impeller. In FIG. 1, the pump housing 1 is shown in diagrammatically in cross-section with the impeller 2. Regions, which are filled with the liquid phase 3 or the gas phase 4, are shown by way of example. The impeller is a screw-like construction with three blades and a diameter of 220 mm. In the sectional representation, there are three sectional areas of the impeller, extending radially from the shaft to the outside. The pump is irradiated with the gamma radiation emanating from the source 5 and emitted by the nuclide, cesium-137. The activity is 185 GBq and the energy is 662 keV. Due to the high radiation energy, it is possible to irradiate the pump housing 1 and the impeller 2 effectively.

[0017] The first example, shown in FIG. 1, is intended to determine projections of the density distribution of the object measured for four consecutive brief time intervals having a duration of t_(B). On the side opposite the source 5, there is an arc 6 of 64 individual detectors 7 for the gamma radiation. In the example, the detectors are scintillation crystals of bismuth germanate with optically coupled secondary electron multipliers and signal amplifiers with a pulse output, integrated in the arc 6 of detectors 7. The distance between the source 5 and the arc 6 of detectors 7 is 730 mm. The detector crystals have an end surface of 10×10 mm², which is aligned towards the source 5, and a length of 30 mm. The source 5 is equipped with a collimator for producing a fan-shaped beam, which is directed towards the arc 6 of detectors 7. The measurement plane, which is formed by the orientation of the arc 6 of detectors 7 and of the source collimator, intersects the pump housing 1 perpendicularly to the axis of rotation of the impeller 2. The periodically changing measurement object is formed by the medium being pumped, which is located in the image plane and consists of regions, which are filled either with gas 4 or with liquid 3, and by the cross-section through the rotating impeller 2 in the image plane, and through the pump housing 1.

[0018] The electrical pulses, which are produced by the gamma quanta arriving at the detector 7, are passed on to a signal-reversing switch 8, which connects each of the detectors 7 with a signal integrator 9. The signal integrators 9 are combined in a first bank 10 and three further banks 11. Only the first three of the 64 signal integrators 9, which are required for detecting the signals of the 64 detectors 7 present, are shown in FIG. 1. The continuation of the arrangement for detecting the signals of the further detectors is indicated in each case by three dots. If necessary, the number of counter banks 11 can be changed. The total number of counter banks is referred to by the letter B. In the example of FIG. 1, B=4.

[0019] The signal integrators 9 of the example are binary counters, which digitally detect the gamma quanta recorded by the detector 7. The signal-reversing switch 8 connects the detectors at a given time only with the counters 9 of the associated bank 10 or 11. The switch position, shown in FIG. 1, corresponds to the start of the measurement, that is, the detectors 7 are connected with the counters 9 of the first bank 10. The signal distributor 8 is connected with the control unit 12, which causes the signal-reversing switch 8 to switch the signals of the detectors 7 after a specified time t_(B) to the counter 9 of the subsequent bank of the other counter banks 11. For the purpose of controlling the timing, the control circuit 12 receives equidistant pulses from a clock pulse generator 13. After the fourth pulse of the clock pulse generator 13, the control unit 12 switches the signal-reversing switch 8 into the fifth switch position, which is not connected with the binary counter, as a result of which the counting process is interrupted. The control circuit 12 furthermore is connected with an angular momentum transmitter 14, which provides a pulse for each revolution of the impeller 2. These pulses arrive periodically at a chronographic distance of t_(p). When these pulses appear, the control circuit 12 switches the signal switch 8 back to the counter 9 of the first bank 10.

[0020] After a certain, specified number of revolutions of the impeller 2, the measuring process is stopped. The pulse numbers, totaled in the counters 9, corresponds to the number of gamma quanta recorded by the respective detector 7, each counter 9 being assigned precisely to one detector 7 and, due to its association with one of the counter banks 10 or 11, a time interval also being fixed unambiguously within the rotation period of the impeller 2. The information, stored in the respective counter bank 10 or 11 at the conclusion of the measurement accordingly represents the sought projection of the distribution of the adsorption capability within the measurement object in the measurement plane, formed by the fan-shaped beam, for a known time interval within the rotation period. Four chronologically consecutive time intervals can be evaluated with the number of counter banks 10 and 11, shown in FIG. 1.

[0021] The density distribution or the gas content distribution can be determined by proceeding in the generally known manner and, by repeating the measurement process with stepwise rotation of the arrangement of source 5 and detector arc 6. A set of independent projections is recorded from the various viewing directions. From the set of projections, which originate from one and the same counter bank, the two-dimensional density distribution can be determined in the measurement plane for the time interval assigned to the counter bank by using tomographic reconstruction methods. In the case of the axial pump under consideration, this time interval corresponds to a particular interval of the angle of rotation Φ of the impeller 2, the zero point of the angle of rotation being determined by the pulse of the angular momentum transmitter 14, which appears once during each revolution. For the number of the counter bank i, the angular interval arises as follows: (i−1)×360°×t_(B)/t_(p)<Φ<I×360°×t_(B)/t_(P). With that, the reconstructed density distribution is also assigned precisely to one specified rotational angle interval. The angular resolution is ΔΦ=360°×t_(B)/t_(p).

[0022] The example is concerned with a pump, the impeller 2 of which rotates at about 1500 rpm. From this, the period of rotation t_(p) is calculated to be 40 ms. An angular resolution of better than 1° is realized in the example, from which a bank time of approximately t_(B)=0.1 ms arises. In order to be able to determine the period of rotation of the impeller 2, the number of counter banks in the arrangement of FIG. 1 must be at least t_(P)/t_(B), that is, at least to 400 for the values given. It corresponds to the number of angular steps, which are to be resolved. Accordingly, it is necessary to increase the number of counter banks from 4 to 400, if the complete determination of the whole period of revolution is to take place. For the 64 detectors employed in the example and the arrangement of FIG. 1, the total counter of counter components is at least 400×64=25600. In order to reduce the circuit expenditure associated therewith, the second example is given in FIG. 2.

[0023] Compared to the example of FIG. 1, the arrangement is expanded here by a data acquisition computer 20. In comparison to the arrangement of FIG. 1, the number of counter banks is reduced to two counter banks 15 and 16. In FIG. 2 also, only the first three of 64 counters, which are assigned to the existing 64 detectors 7, are shown. With the help of signal switches 17, the two counter banks 15 and 16 are connected reciprocally with the associated detectors 7, so that at all times only the counters of one of the two banks 15 or 16 determine the gamma quanta recorded at the detectors 7. The digital counter readings of those counters 9 of the bank, not connected with the detectors 7, are acquired over a data bus 18 and a parallel interface 19 by a data acquisition computer 20. The computer 20 controls the data acquisition by addressing a bus reversing switch 21, which is realized by using bus driver circuits with a chip-select input. This bus-reversing switch 21 connects the output of the counters 15 or 16 of the bank, which is to be selected, consecutively with the parallel interface 19 of the computer 20. The bank is switched over between the counting and reading operation by the control unit 12, the reversing signal, as shown in FIG. 2, being passed parallel to the signal switches 17, to the bus switches 22 and to the data acquisition computer 20. The switch position, shown in FIG. 2, corresponds to the state when the counter 9 of the bank 15 detects the pulses of the detectors 7 and the counters 9 of the bank 16 are read sequentially by the computer 20.

[0024] The further summing of the counter results is accomplished by software in the data acquisition computer 20. In the memory of the computer, a data field is set up in the form of columns and rows of a data matrix. The number of columns is identical with the number of detectors 7 and the number of lines corresponds to the number of angular steps, which are to be resolved. The data, read sequentially from the counters 15 and 16, are added to the stored values of a row of the matrix. After exchanging counter banks 15 and 16, the computer 20 continues this summation with the next, subsequent line of the matrix. In addition, the computer 20 receives the pulses from the angular momentum transmitter 14, which indicate the completion of a complete revolution of the impeller 2. Upon arrival of one of these pulses, the summation is commenced once again at the first line of the data matrix. After a certain, specified counter of revolutions of the impeller 2, the measuring process is stopped. Counter results, which correspond to the result obtained with the arrangement of FIG. 1, are then stored in the data matrix. At the same time, the expenditure for hardware is reduced, since only 2×64 counters are required. 

1. An arrangement for recording by measurement a projection of the radiation absorption capability of a periodically variable object, the arrangement comprising a source, which emits a continuous radiation, as well as an arrangement of detectors for the type of the radiation used, the detectors being disposed behind the object to be measured, as seen from the source, characterized in that the detectors (7) are connected over a signal reversing switch (8) to several signal integrators (9) per detector (7), which are combined in a first bank (10) and further banks (11), in that the signal reversing switch (8) connects the detectors (7) at the same time of only with the signal integrators (9) of precisely one of the banks (10) or (11), that the signal reversing switch (8) is connected with a control unit (12), the input of which is connected with a pulse generator (13) for switching the signal reversing switch (8) further and that the input of the pulse generator (13) is connected with a synchronous signal transmitter (14) for resetting the signal reversing switch (8) to the signal integrators (9) of the first bank (10).
 2. The arrangement of claim 1, characterized in that the synchronous signal transmitter (14) is constructed as a phase angle detector, to which a discriminator, which is connected to a periodically changeable part (2) of the object being measured, is connected in series.
 3. The arrangement of claim 1, characterized in that the detectors (7) are constructed with a pulse output and in that the signal integrators (9) are pulse counters.
 4. The arrangement of claims 1 and 3, characterized in that the detectors (7) are connected over a signal switch (17) to the two signal integrators (9) per detector (7), which are constructed as pulse counters and are integrated in two banks (15) and 16), in that the signal switch (17) connects the detectors (7) at the same time only with the signal integrators (9) of precisely one of the two banks (15) or (16), and in that the digital outputs of the signal integrators (9) of the banks (15) and (16) are connected over a data bus (18) reciprocally with a data-acquisition computer (20), and in that the signal switch (17) and the bus reversing switch (22) are connected to a common control unit (12).
 5. The arrangement of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the detectors (7) are constructed with an electrical analog output and in that the signal integrators (9) are analog integrators.
 6. The arrangement of claims 1 and 3, characterized in that the detectors (7) are connected over a signal switch (17) to two signal integrators (9) per detector (7), which are constructed as analog integrators and integrated in two banks (15) and (16), in that the signal switch (17 connects the detectors (7) at the same time only with the analog integrators (9) of precisely one of the two banks (15) or (16) and in that the analog outputs of the analog integrators (9) of the banks (15) and (16 are each connected each over a digital analog converter and a bus reversing switch (22) over a data bus (18) reciprocally with a data acquisition computer (20), and in that the signal switch (17) and the bus reversing switch (22) are connected to a common control unit (12).
 7. The arrangement of claims 1, 4 or 6, characterized in that the pulse generator (13) is replaced by a sensor mounted at the object to be measured, the pulse generator (13), per period of change of the object being measured, putting out pulses at a several fixed phases of the change of the object being measured.
 8. The arrangement of claims 1, 4 or 6, characterized in that only one single detector (7) and one single signal integrators (9) is provided per bank (10) and (11).
 9. The arrangement of claims 1, 4 or 6, characterized in that the detectors (7) are disposed in a linear detector cell or in a detector arc (6).
 10. The arrangement of claims 1, 4 or 6, characterized in that several detectors (7) are disposed in a two-dimensional matrix. 